Lydia of Thyatira was a devout woman, a worshiper of God. When the Lord opened her heart, she
became a convert to the faith. Many devout Greeks in Thessalonica were also persuaded by the message of Paul and Silas. Titius Justus was yet another devout man. He demonstrated his nascent faith by giving Paul shelter
when the apostle was opposed and reviled in Macedonia.
But not all devout people responded favorably to the gospel when it was presented to them in the first century. In Pisidian Antioch, the “devout” women served as
shock troops for the Jews persecuting Paul and Barnabas.
In ideological conflicts, we call such
people “useful idiots”. They believe in what they are doing, but are
grossly misinformed or insufficiently attentive. They are being cynically manipulated by others.
